Moistener for envelope sealers, etc.



May 2s, 1929. Y F. E.. PCGR 1,714,620

MOISTENER FOR ENVELOPE SEALERS, ETCA Filed Feb. 24, 1927 j@ l' zo@ A I 3 N Patented May 28, 19.29.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK E. Toon, or DAMEN, CONNECTICUT, AssTGNoR To rr'rNEY-Bowns rosm- .AGE METER COMPANY, OF STA-MFORD,

WARE.

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELA- MOISTENER FOR ENVELOPE SEALERS, ETC.

Application led February 24, 1927. Serial No. 170,566.

being passed through the machine. With this invention the water, or other liquid, can `be taken directly from the reservoir and applied to the part to be moistened without using the brush, wick or other moistening device, as a duct through which the liquid is fed. This prevents clogging up of the moistener with any impurities which the liquid may contain; and the moistener being made of suitable material, a sufficient quantity of the liquid will be carried by it to wet the flap of the longest envelope it is designed to seal. The invention insures an immediate and suiicient supply of liquid at all times, as the moistener is always partially immersed, when not in use, in the liquid in the tank or reservoir in which a constant liquid level can be maintained.

Another novel feature of the invention is having the brush or moistener yieldably or removably mounted so that it can be lifted into operative position by the iap of each envelope passing thereby, and then 'drop back into the tank for replenishment with the remoistening liquid after each operation.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrate'd one practical embodiment of the invention and will describe the same with reference thereto, but I do not consider the invention limited to the specific construction shown and refer to the claims for summaries of the essential and novel features of construction and combinations of parts'for which l protection is desired.

In said drawings: Figure 1 1s a plan view of an envelope moistener with the feed belt and part of the table broken away to show the moistening device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said moistener, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the moistener looking from the left toward the right of Fie. 2.

lig. 4 is a detail .view showing how the moistener device is operatively controlled by the flap of a passing envelope.

The machine shown in the drawings may bepart of'an envelope sealing machine of any suitable construction, only the parts thereof directly relating to the moistening means belng shown. In said drawings, 1 designates a plate upon which the envelopes are laid,

tinuation thereof bey-ond the moistener is a` second plate 11 over which the moistened envelopes are passed and their aps closed in so doing. The plates 11 may also be mounted on the support 3 in any suitable manner. The upport 3 may be of any suitable construc- 1on. f

The rear edge of the plate 1 is preferably spaced from the support 3 sutlicient to permit t e fiap e of an envelope E, laid upon the plate 1, to depend below the table and between the rear edge of the plate 1 and the support 3.

The left hand end of table 11 is`curved downward at 11a and a space is left between the ends of tables 1 and 11 for a purpose to be explained hereafter. y

A tank 22 is arranged beneath and adjacent to the inner end of plate 1, and within this tank is movably mounted a moistener 20, bv means of which water or other li uid is supplied from lthe tank to the flap of t e.en

Ivelope. Preferably the moistener'20 extends transversely of the plate 1 in the pathof the flap of the envel'ope and the moistener is pivoted at 20, on a block 21 secured to the under side of plate 1 near the inner end thereof, the moistener being capable of a gravital swinging movement transversely of the late.

As illustrated in the accompanying rawings, the moistener 20 is provided with a brush 20d by which the liquid is transferred from the tank to the envelope. While I consider a brush preferable, it is not essential to the correct functioning of. the-device, as felt or other material may be used in place of the brush and might answer the purpose as well or better.

The tank 22 is mounted on the support 3 and is preferably connected by a tube or pipe 22b with a suitable reservoir (not shown in drawing), and a constant water level can bev maintained in the tank by means of an inverted bottle or similar device as usual. A stop 22a in the tank 22 limits the distance to which the moistener 2O may drop. By varying the normal water level in the tank 22, a greater er less amount of liquid maybe applied to the moistener 20'.

A guide plate 23 is secured to the frame 3 under plate 1. The left hand end of said guide plate is vertically disposed, but the plate is gradually twisted until its right-hand end is substantially horizontal, said righthand end overlying the adjacent curved side of the tank 22. The right side of tank 22 slopes upward in the direction of plate 11, its edge overlying` the lower curved portion 11a of said plate.

The enevelope E may be fed along the plates 1 and 11 endwise and flap down by hand or by mechanical means. In the eX- ample shown the envelopes are fed longitudinally of the plate 1 and over the moistener and outer plate 11 by means of upper'and lower coacting endless belts 9 and 10. The belt 9 runs over pulleys 8 and 18 respectively mounted on spindles 8a and 18a, suitably supported respectively beneath the plates 1 and 11. As shown, the spindle 8a may be xed and the pulley 8 rotatably mounted thereon. The spindle 18a is preferably a driven spindle, and

. pulley 18 is attached thereto. The spindle 18a may be driven by hand or byl power, and it is not necessary to illustrate the same herein.

The belt A1() runs over pulleys 6 and 16 respectively mounted above the pulleys 8 and 18. The pulleys 6 and 16 may be rotatably mounted on studs 6a and 16a attached to swingable brackets or arms 4 and 14 pivotally mounted upon a stud 5 attached to the support 3. The swinging brackets 4 and 14 may be yieldably pressed by a spring 4S downward or toward the opposed rollers 8 and 18. The plates 1 and 11 may be slotted as shown in the drawings to accommodate the belt 9.

Operation.

The envelopes E are successively placed on the plate 1, with their open side toward the support 3, and their flaps projecting downward between the table 1 and frame 3. They are then fed one at a time, either mechanically or manually, toward and between the rollers 6 and 8 and 16 and 18 where they are firmly gripped by and between the belts 9 and 10 and moved forward to and past the moistener and outer plate 11.

In moving forward (from left to, right in the drawing), the hanging flap e of the envelope E engages the guide plate 23 and is turned directly from a vertical to an approximately horizontal position; as it reaches the tank 22 and in its passage over the tank it, engages the moistener 20 and raises same `charged during its partial immersion in the liquid tank)y along the moving iiap. rIhe plate 1 extending between the moistener and the body of the envelope will prevent the latter from being moistened at the same time. y

After passing the moistenerthe Hap of the envelope is forced upward by engagement with the inclined rear side of the tank 22 and the downwardly curved inner end 11@ of plate 11; and the moistened flap is in this manner brought into contact with the body of the envelope and closed, and the final sealing maybe completed in any desired manner.

I claim 1. In envelope moistening mechanism, a movable moistener, means for guiding an envelope past the moistener, and means whereby the flap of the envelope is caused to engage and move the moistener into operative engagement with such flap as the envelope moves therepast.

2. In envelope moistening mechanism; a water supply, a movable moistener normally contacting the water supply and means for guiding an envelope past the moistener and means whereby the flap of the envelope is caused to engage and move the moistener into operative engagement with the ap as the envelope moves therepast.

3. In envelope moistening mechanism; a water supply, a movable moistener normally contacting the water supply, means for feeding envelopes past the moistener with the flaps underneath and means whereby the flap of each envelope is caused to engage and lift the moistener out of the water supply into operative engagement with the flap as each envelope moves therepast, the moistener returning to the supply for remoistening after each operation.

4. In envelope sealing or mo-istening mechanism in which the envelope is fed horizontally with the Hap underneath; a water supply over which the envelope is guided, a yieldably mounted moistener engaging the supply, and means for so guiding the envelope flap under the moistener that the moistener is moved into operative position by each flap as itpasses, said moistener being free to return to said water supply for remoistening after each operation, y

5. In envelope moistening mechanism in which the envelopes are fed horizontally with the flap undermost; a water supply over which the Hap of the envelope is guided; a

yieldable moistener receivingwater from said supply and means for guiding the envelope i'lap to and underneath the 'moistener, said moistener being yieldably mounted so that the flap of each envelope is Caused by the guiding means to move the moistener up- Wardly into operative position as it passes thereby; said moistener returning the supply for remoistening after each operation.

6. In envelope moistening mechanism; a water supplier, a movable moistener normally contacting the Water supplier, means for feeding envelopes past the moistener and means whereby the flap of each envelope is caused to engage and move the moistener into operative engagement with the flap as each envelope moves therepast, the moistener re'- turning to the Water supplier for remoistening after the flap has passed.

7. In envelope sealing ormoistening meehanism in which the envelope is fed horizontally with the flap underneath; a Water supplier over which the envelope is guided,

a yieldably mounted moistener normally engaging the supplier, and means for so guiding the envelope flap under the moistener that the moistener will be moved into operative position by the flap as it passes and permitted to return to said Water supplier for remoistening after the flap passes.

'8. In envelope moistenin mechanism in which the envelopes are ed horizontally' with the flap undermost'; a Water supplier over which the flap of the envelope is guided; a moistener receiving Water'from said supplier; said moistener being yieldably mounted and means for so guiding the en- 'velope flap to andunderneath the moistener 

